Airplane Ownership

Anyone here buy their own airplane to do their training in before being
licensed? I am a glider pilot transitioning to power. Any
suggestions/recommendations, advice, cautions? Thanks in advance.

Not me, but a guy who trained at the same airport with the same
instructor I did, just after I did.

He was I think in his 50s--younger than I was, anyhow. Like me he fell
in love with the Cub and went out and bought one.

Then came his medical. He had (I think it was) high blood pressure and
the FAA sat on his medical cert for a year!

So that's my caution, and my recommendation is that you get your
medical out of the way before you put down your money on the airplane.

On 12 Mar 2004 06:11:36 GMT, unicate (Shirley)
wrote:

Anyone here buy their own airplane to do their training in before being
licensed? I am a glider pilot transitioning to power. Any
suggestions/recommendations, advice, cautions? Thanks in advance.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (requires authentication)

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

Cub Driver warbird wrote:

So that's my caution, and my recommendation
is that you get your medical out of the way
before you put down your money on the airplane.

Thanks. Good advice. I have my medical, have taken and passed the written and
have done the initial training and soloed in a Cessna 150. Made the decision to
stop flying that airplane due to unresolved maintenance issues. Still have to
do the x-countries, hood work and finish the solo time. Have independent CFI
friends but no airplane, and not comfortable picking a random school/CFI.

I wasn't specific in my other post, but am asking for advice, suggestions,
cautions, tips on the airplanes themselves -- what to look for, what to avoid,
red flags, etc.

I switched from gliders (lot's of racing and cc) to planes about 5-6 years
ago. Always thought I would ultimately like to do both but time and
situation changed... I ended up buying and flying a Maule.

I would suggest not buying yet.

Anything is cheaper than owning. But owning is definitely worth it if you
want the freedom it provides.

Unless the financial commitment is not an issue, it may make sense to fly
more, experience more, and figure out what you really want to do. And
figure out what various a/c have to offer. Then buy.

In my case, I envisioned just punching holes around the residential airpark
we moved too. I was thinking Citabria. My mate said, "where will my bags
go?" I explained that a 2 place is a 1 place + bags and that a 4 place is a
2 place with bags. "Then we need a 4 place". I couldn't envision really
doing that much serious travel but couldn't resist the logic.

Turned out that the combination of living with the a/c, owning, and new
friends 120 road miles away made short distance, frequent travel the main
mission. The Maule fit perfectly. I NEVER go and punch holes, I did go get
an instrument ticket, commercial, etc. Now we are interested in seeing
friends in FL and NY more often so something faster would make sense but the
short trip works so well...

Sold the glider and never regretted it (totally unexpected). Travel a lot
(totally unexpected). Never go to airshows, $100 breakfasts, and such
(totally unexpected). The point is, it took awhile and some collaboration
before the right mount could be chosen.

That's my .02cents.

"Shirley" wrote in message
...
Anyone here buy their own airplane to do their training in before being
licensed? I am a glider pilot transitioning to power. Any
suggestions/recommendations, advice, cautions? Thanks in advance.

On 12 Mar 2004 13:36:03 GMT, unicate (Shirley)
wrote in Message-Id: :

I wasn't specific in my other post, but am asking for advice, suggestions,
cautions, tips on the airplanes themselves -- what to look for, what to avoid,
red flags, etc.

Consider posting your request in the rec.aviation.owning newsgroup.

unicate (Shirley) writes:

I wasn't specific in my other post, but am asking for advice, suggestions,
cautions, tips on the airplanes themselves -- what to look for, what to avoid,
red flags, etc.

Take a look at previous threads on the topic. There are several.

I started my Private with the intention of just boring holes in
the sky when I was a kid. When I finally got serious about it, I
bought a twin and finished. I fly because it allows me to make
trips I couldn't make otherwise. It's very rare that I make a
flight that I could have reasonably made in a "trainer" (or even
in a "step-up" plane like an Arrow or C-182).

I think it's important to decide early whether you're going to
eventually want something more than a "trainer". If so, do you
really want to buy a trainer for your primary instruction? If
you do, think *hard* about resale value and don't go nuts on
avionics. Also consider how your experience is going to look to
an insurer. (It might make more sense to get a low-end
retractable now if you're going to want insurance for a
retractable later.) Long-range insurance planning can make a
*big* difference.

It might be quite a bit better in the long run to go somewhere
else (like an intensive course?) to finish your Private and just
save for the plane you really want. It *could* even work to get
*that* plane for your primary instruction because insurance will
probably require a bunch of dual in it anyway. (You won't hear
many people advising that you get a high-performance retract for
primary training. I'm just saying that you should consider it.)

Bottom line...decide what you're likely to want out of your
plane before you start looking at buying one, then learn about
the possibilities for *your* situation.

--kyler

I would rent until you really know what you want. Buying and selling
airplanes can be expensive and you want to do it as few times as possible.
Now that new airplanes are all getting glass cockpits, the days of used
airplane appreciaton are over.

Mike
MU-2

"Shirley" wrote in message
...
Anyone here buy their own airplane to do their training in before being
licensed? I am a glider pilot transitioning to power. Any
suggestions/recommendations, advice, cautions? Thanks in advance.

This sounds like a thread unto itself. I don't have input but would love to
hear others comment....

"Mike Rapoport"
....Now that new airplanes are all getting glass cockpits, the days of
used
airplane appreciaton are over.

I bought a Musketeer at the exact same time in training. It has worked out
well for me. I finished up my training and still own and enjoy the plane
four years later.

"Shirley" wrote in message
...

Thanks. Good advice. I have my medical, have taken and passed the written
and
have done the initial training and soloed in a Cessna 150. Made the
decision to
stop flying that airplane due to unresolved maintenance issues. Still have
to
do the x-countries, hood work and finish the solo time. Have independent
CFI
friends but no airplane, and not comfortable picking a random school/CFI.

I wasn't specific in my other post, but am asking for advice, suggestions,
cautions, tips on the airplanes themselves -- what to look for, what to
avoid,
red flags, etc.

I believe that the reason that airplanes have appreciated is that the older
ones have been, for all practical purposes, equal to the new ones. With the
advent of the glass cockpit, his is no longer true.

Mike
MU-2


"Maule Driver" wrote in message
. com...
This sounds like a thread unto itself. I don't have input but would love
to
hear others comment....

"Mike Rapoport"
....Now that new airplanes are all getting glass cockpits, the days of
used
airplane appreciaton are over.